Open letter to those on the left who want Corbyn to step down.

Dear Alastair Campbell, Fiona Millar, Eddie Marsan, Jo Maugham, Tony Robinson, Chuka Umunna, Tom Watson, Robert Webb, and the many others on the left who are deeply dissatisfied with Jeremy Corbyn and want him to step down as Leader of the Labour Party.

Politically, despite what we might call ‘ideological differences’, I have no doubt whatsoever we are on the same side, and we want to see very similar policies and outcomes introduced by another landslide majority Labour government. However, we disagree on the best strategic route to achieving this.

Over the last few years I’ve been referred to pejoratively as a ‘Corbynista’, a member of a ‘cult’, a ‘trot’, an ‘entryist’, and much worse. Fortunately, I was a builder before I became a sociologist, so it doesn’t bother me too much. No doubt you’ve been referred to as ‘Blairite scum’, ‘centrists’, and much worse.

You know all about the big increase in Party membership since Jeremy put his name in the hat for the leadership, making Labour the biggest Party in Europe. You probably know that for the 2017 general election, with the exception of 1997, Labour received more votes than in any election since 1966. No doubt you’re also familiar with the engagement of swathes of hitherto disengaged young people, the universally acclaimed manifesto, and the clear water that now exists between Labour and the backward looking, out of touch, dangerous and increasingly sadistic Conservatives.

I understand your disappointment: that we don’t have a much bigger lead in the polls, given how awful the Conservatives are; that we don’t seem to be able to clearly articulate and define the difference between on one hand the legitimate and proportionate criticism of the actions of the Israeli government, especially in relation to the Palestinians, and antisemitism on the other; and of course, Labour’s position on Brexit.

Taken together, they do indeed represent a crisis for our Party. But let me rewind a little.

Jeremy was not to blame for the outcome of the referendum. He recognises, as does any sensible person, the cogent case against the EU, not least that despite its numerous advantages and good works, it is a fundamentally neoliberal organisation intent on ensuring that corporatism and hyper-capitalism is enforced at almost any cost. Many people including myself are pleased that he supported the remain position, and that he has stated if there were another referendum, he would vote remain, but it would have been extremely hypocritical for him to have given his unreserved support for the EU, and I believe it is in part disdain for the naked hypocrisy exhibited within the political classes that caused many alienated and disenfranchised people to vote leave. I believe the outcome of the referendum was in no small part a clear message to the political establishment that they are sick of being ignored, and sick of MPs who say one thing in public and think another in private.

We know New Labour delivered many fantastic achievements, which all of us should rightly be very proud of. However, as time went on, its largely unreserved support for the free market, its weakening of worker and union rights and the manufacturing a more ‘flexible’ workforce, its deregulation of finance, its widespread back door privatisation and outsourcing, including crippling debts for our beloved NHS, its reductions in state protection for the most vulnerable, and above all the Iraq war, revealed how far from core Labour voters New Labour moved.

I totally understand that in order to win a general election, swing voters have to be convinced that they should vote for Labour. But if Labour were to again try to occupy the ‘centre’ (right wing) ground, not only would Labour risk losing the majority of the membership and union support — meaning it would lose the majority of its funding and be in a position where it would have to appease powerful corporate and elite interests — but much more importantly it would run the risk of losing its identity and soul. I appreciate you certainly don’t need me to tell you who and what Labour stands for as I can see it’s in your blood. I also understand well how the establishment, aided by the right-wing press and the BBC, has relentlessly and successfully characterised Corbyn’s Labour as ‘hard left’, despite its social democratic manifesto and broad mix of MPs and members.

But we can’t go back. Millions suffer daily as a direct consequence of hyper-neoliberal policies, especially Tory ‘austerity’ policies, which were always a cover for decreasing the role of the state, and consequently the world now desperately needs a new radicalism which Labour can and should deliver.

Labour has some very tough policy decisions to make: we need to reconnect with alienated and marginalised working class people, and with small and medium businesses; we need to call out irresponsible corporate greed; we need to urgently emphasise practical solutions to global warming; we need to convince employers and organisations to see the benefits of working with and not against unions and for employees to see the value of belonging to a union; we need new food, farming and environmental policies; we need new rules and laws governing lobbying and influence, and to tackle the revolving door between government and private entities; we need to embrace expert scientific and professional opinion on a wide range of issues including health, defense, crime and education. On a planet with finite resources, and in a country with rapidly rising crime, homelessness and inequality, more of the same is completely unacceptable. Many good people are working on solutions: Labour needs to be the hub for these people and these new ideas.

Labour also needs to forge a radical, new, forward looking and long-term narrative which challenges the assumptions and shakes the foundations of neoliberal discourse. It also needs to focus on the lies relentlessly put out by the establishment, including of course the mainstream media, about how Labour caused the financial crash of 2008, about how we are the enemies of business, about how we are fiscally irresponsible, about how a safety net is at the cost of ‘hard working families’, about how Labour is a racist party etc. Everyone in the Party needs to subscribe to some clear goals and principles and to articulate these consistently in key messages — we must find and if necessary pay for brilliant people who are experts in persuasive but ethical communication to get a new radical narrative out there, along with the help of the myriad Labour members and supporters occupying online platforms.

Of course, the elephant in the room is Brexit.

Until recently I thought Labour was correct to honour its promise to respect the democratic referendum outcome and to acknowledge that most Labour constituencies voted leave, as did the majority of individuals who voted. However, the evidence submitted by the Electoral Commission and the fantastic and brave journalism undertaken by Carole Cadawalladr and others demonstrates beyond any doubt that foul play significantly contributed to the outcome. Combined with the overwhelming majority of expert knowledge which suggests Brexit will be catastrophic for Britain, any right-thinking person would agree we must now stop Brexit, which is why you and I and millions of others must continue to work to persuade the Labour leadership to rapidly change course — not by using threats and abuse, but by urgently making the watertight case against it.

Should Labour change course on Brexit, and should clear guidance on exactly what constitutes antisemitism be provided, along with the identification and disciplining of those who continue to be antisemitic — or indeed demonstrate any kind of bigoted prejudice — then there is no reason whatsoever why Labour under Corbyn could not form a majority government.

I understand you feel differently. I understand that you think Corbyn must now go. But what do you really think this would achieve? We know for certain that another coup attempt would completely split the Party. Given our antiquated voting system we know for certain that a split Labour Party would be worse than useless in a general election. And we know for certain that a split Labour Party would not be anywhere near as effective in opposing Brexit as a unified one.

I’m over 50 and I fear for pretty much everyone’s, and especially my daughter’s future. There is so much we now know beyond any doubt: We know the overwhelming majority of large corporations have far too much political and economic influence and their primary concern is always to maximise profit regardless of the true cost; we know global financial markets do not care one jot for ordinary people; we know the greatest institution in the world — the NHS — is on its knees and urgently needs our help; we know the exclusive ability of banks to conjure new money and charge interest no longer works (if it ever did) to the benefit of the many; we know global warming and climate change is human made, real and devastating; we know wars are entered into far too freely for often spurious reasons; we know that there are tens of trillions of pounds hidden in offshore accounts that are just sitting there when they should be used to help alleviate the world’s problems, and we know that grotesque local, national and global inequality is bad for everyone and everything. We now know too that the rise of the far right is a massive, growing, extremely dangerous threat, and we know that Steve Bannon, who’s stated aim is to unify the far right across Europe, is in regular contact with Michael Gove, Jacob Rees Mogg and Boris Johnson. Labour, and people on the left, have a duty to challenge and stop the rise of the far right. We also know Brexit would be catastrophic for Britain.

Every single one of these things we can challenge and change far more effectively if we are united. Cooperation is infinitely preferable to conflict.

So this is my plea to you: don’t leave, stay and fight. Use your powers of persuasion and communication to convince ourLabour leadership to tackle antisemitism once and for all, and to oppose Brexit for the benefit of the many, not the few. Millions of people are suffering terribly now, and they need a Labour Government a lot more than any of us do: in fact, they must despair at our ideological differences getting in the way of having a Labour government.

The Labour Party is a democratic socialist Party. It believes that by the strength of our common endeavour we achieve more than we achieve alone, so as to create for each of us the means to realise our true potential and for all of us a community in which power, wealth and opportunity are in the hands of the many, not the few, where the rights we enjoy reflect the duties we owe, and where we live together, freely, in a spirit of solidarity, tolerance and respect.

I’m a Labour supporter first, and a Corbyn supporter second.

Yours in good faith, hope, and solidarity

Dr Russell Jackson